Food production will be one of the biggest challenges that society will face in the 21st century. As human population inches towards the 10 billion mark, the threat of large scale malnutrition is looming again. Malthus may be proven right this time around, unless we have a second green revolution. New technologies will have to be a big part of the solution. We have little choice but to increase yield per acre as most of the arable land around the world is already under cultivation. Closer to home, India is expected to overtake China as the largest population in the world. Agricultural practices here never truly kept up with the advancements in other countries. Our yield per acre and losses during transportation are nowhere near global standards. To maintain food security, we need to speed up technological adoption in our agricultural sector.
Agriculture has been the bedrock of civilization and more so for India. We have truly been blessed with agricultural advantages that are difficult to replicate in other parts of the world. The fertile soils of the Gangetic plains and to a lesser extent, the Indus Valley has allowed Indian civilization to flourish. These fertile soils have provided sustenance to the Indian village through the ups and downs of history. The great pride of Indian Civilization, our continuity, has been possible because of the sturdiness of the village system. The village system is the foundation upon which our civilization has been built upon. Even Mahatma Gandhi was particularly concerned about the fate of India’s villages at the time of independence. He warned our leaders that “The future of India lies in its villages”. However, little attention was paid to his warnings because of the immediate concerns for rapid industrialization.
The village system for all its virtues has led to slow uptake of modern agricultural practices in India. The result is the over use of fertilizers and pesticides and sub-standard crop yields. As with other things with the Industrial Revolution 4.0, India is primed to be the main beneficiary of smart agriculture. Use of smart technologies in agriculture will allow micro-control of food production and transport. The automation of water, fertilizer and pesticide delivery will also work around the issues of farmer training. IoT in agriculture will alleviate the hap-hazard practices that held back productivity as farmers will no longer need to have deep knowledge on the use of technology. Automation and real-time data that will allow to maintain optimal conditions for the entirety of the crop cycle.
The government of India in the most recent budget has increased its focus on agriculture. The urgency to maintain food security is upon us and even the government is supporting the sector. IoT will be crucial in increasing our food production to meet the needs of a growing population. However, the investment required to establish the infrastructure cannot be borne by the farmer. It will need support from the government and support from other non-governmental institutions.